View Full Version : alcohol stove questions
2009ThruHiker
09-23-2008, 11:07
ok, more thru-hike planning...
i am looking at an alcohol stove vs. our jet boil system.... the cook system will be for two people, boiling water for the most part, no other cooking.
first question: 100grams of fuel in relation to alcohol...how much alcohol is this?
second question: the burn time for the alcohol stove i'm looking t is 100g. of fuel will boil 2.9L of water..... any better ones out there? it seems to me at this rate for 2 people's use vs. jetboil at 110g of fuel boiling 11L of water is worth the extra weight???
thanks!
First question: 100grams of fuel in relation to alcohol...how much alcohol is this?
100 Grams = 3.215 oz
I don't know how it plays out for cooking time?
First question: 100grams of fuel in relation to alcohol...how much alcohol is this?
100 Grams = 3.215 oz
I don't know how it plays out for cooking time?
Is the 3.215 oz a weight measurement or is it in fluid ounces (volume measurement)?
The best alcohol stoves will boil 2 cups of water on 1/2 fluid ounce in optimum conditions.
If the two of you will be out for more than 3 or 4 days, you may very well be right that the jet boil system works out to be far more convenient for just a little more weight...
Actually it’s 3.5274 ounces the first measurement was troy ounces. Sorry, I hit the wrong thing on my Palm Pilot
NICKTHEGREEK
09-23-2008, 13:35
ok, more thru-hike planning...
i am looking at an alcohol stove vs. our jet boil system.... the cook system will be for two people, boiling water for the most part, no other cooking.
first question: 100grams of fuel in relation to alcohol...how much alcohol is this?
second question: the burn time for the alcohol stove i'm looking t is 100g. of fuel will boil 2.9L of water..... any better ones out there? it seems to me at this rate for 2 people's use vs. jetboil at 110g of fuel boiling 11L of water is worth the extra weight???
thanks!
Sgt Rock has evaluated this question to 20 decimal places. See if you can find some links to his replies or perhaps his website. He's a straight shooter.
NICKTHEGREEK
09-23-2008, 18:34
ok, more thru-hike planning...
i am looking at an alcohol stove vs. our jet boil system.... the cook system will be for two people, boiling water for the most part, no other cooking.
first question: 100grams of fuel in relation to alcohol...how much alcohol is this?
second question: the burn time for the alcohol stove i'm looking t is 100g. of fuel will boil 2.9L of water..... any better ones out there? it seems to me at this rate for 2 people's use vs. jetboil at 110g of fuel boiling 11L of water is worth the extra weight???
thanks!
Here's Rock http://hikinghq.net/stoves/stove_compare.html
In wind or cold, I'd favor the Jetboil hands down, especially for two people. Since alcohol doesn't produce the BTUs of pressurized butane/propane mixes, in cold or windy conditions the elements can remove the heat from the pot nearly as fast as an alcohol stove can produce it. For one person, an alcohol stove can be great. I cooked for myself for 8 days with 16 ozs. of alcohol on a recent trip in Maine. I filtered all of my water, which meant that I didn't have to bring it to a rolling boil, and I ate Lipton dinners with ghee added for calories. I used a homemade pot cozy to rehydrate the dinners in about 20 mins. while I set up camp. Coffee and oatmeal were eaten for breakfast. Lunch was bagels and peanut butter. Temps ranged from 80 down to around 40 at night. I used a Supercat stove and a titanium foil windscreen with a 1.3 liter Evernew ti. pot.
(Your mileage may vary).
Critterman
09-25-2008, 16:01
Jet Boil and weight of empty fuel canister is 16ounces with full cannister 20 ounces. Weight of my Brasslite, 1 liter pot, fuel bottle and all associated gear is 6.5 ounces. Even though alcohol stoves use more fuel per boil, your average carry weight will be alot less for the alcohol stove.
When cooking for 2, I'd suggest something other than alcohol. Jetboil is one alternative.
jetboil is today's deal at outdoordaily.com oddly enough
gold bond
09-25-2008, 16:51
IMHO I would carry both! No Really, One of you could carry the JB and The other could carry the Alcohol stove as a "back up" just in case anything happens to your primary stove. The guy that I hike with carrys a MSR stove and I carry a alcohol stove. We use the DA stove as our primary stove put if its windy or to cold or we just need to heat something in a hurry we use his. Just a thought.
If you are only boiling water, the number of people it is for doesn't matter. What matters is how much water is needed by the number of people. I use an alcohol stove down into frigid temps (hovering just over 0*F). It takes a little longer and uses a bit more fuel, but at least I wasn't the guy standing there with a can of iso down my pants trying to get it warm enough to use on my jetboil.
The Jet-Boil looks like a nice stove, other then it’s made to only heat with the one pot.
If they had a small fry pan with the fins on the bottom that would fit it, it would be a much more useful stove system. I like to make more elaborate meals then just boiling water and the one pot doesn’t fit this need too well.
A few more pan and cooking pots made for the Jet Boil seems like a niche that a small manufacture could fill.
Happy Feet
09-25-2008, 17:54
I keep reading where folks suggest that alcohol is not the way to go if you're cooking for two people. For at least the last 2500 miles of nights on the trail we have exclusively used our pop can stove to boil water in a 2 quart pan, and very happily so. I even use it on the rare occasion of car camping. In my opinion, it just can't be beat. I love the simplicity and reliability of my little stove.
I have 3 alcohol stoves ( 1 Trangia and 2 homemade) and all of them will work for 2-people.
With all the different designs of alcohol and the quest for a sub-mini, weigh nothing stoves, maybe a lot of the ones people have built are very small & limited in heat, and don’t work for more then one person? Nothing wrong with this if that was the objective.
Bob, check out the JetBoil GCS, it comes with a pot support which allows for any pan to be used (Without the benefit of the heat sinc). Still significantly more expensive than an alchi stove though.
http://www.jetboil.com/Products/Cooking-Systems/Group-(GCS)
Homer&Marje
09-25-2008, 20:20
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRt8mNOP2b0
Most efficient stove design I have found that's very easy to make.
If you are set on a canister stove, why not the Coleman F1? As much heat output as a jet boil. Lighter and cheaper, too.
Rave reviews from many outdoor sites.
Otherwise, an alcohol stove is a great choice. It is what I've use for my solo trips since 1999.
In my experience, alcohol stoves can work for two people, just not as easily as a canister stove in general. If you are doing straight up boiling water (~ 2 ltrs) for meals only (no hot drinks), then it works quite well.
NICKTHEGREEK
09-25-2008, 20:36
If you are only boiling water, the number of people it is for doesn't matter. What matters is how much water is needed by the number of people. I use an alcohol stove down into frigid temps (hovering just over 0*F). It takes a little longer and uses a bit more fuel, but at least I wasn't the guy standing there with a can of iso down my pants trying to get it warm enough to use on my jetboil.
To each his own. what happens between you and your can of iso is between you and your God